JPH09230391A - Re-dispersion of electric field arrangeable particle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it possible to rapidly re-disperse EA particles and to exactly attain a light shielding state by impressing a first voltage to generate an electric field arrangement effect between transparent electrode plates to increase the quantity of transmitted light and impressing a second voltage to generate an electrophoresis effect between these transparent electrode plates to decrease the quantity of transmission. SOLUTION: When the first voltage is impressed between the electrodes 5 and 7, the EA particles 11 are perpendicularly arranged between the transparent electrode layers 53 and 73 by the EA effect and chain bodies are formed. Namely, a light controller section 1 attains the light transmission state as the attenuation to the incident light quantity decreases. On the other hand, the EA particles 11 executes electrophoresis and eventually stick to the one-side surfaces of the transparent electrode layers 53, 73 when the second voltage is impressed between the transparent electrodes 5 and 7. Namely, the light controller section 1 attains the light shielding state as the attenuation to the incident light quantity increases in the state that the second voltage is impressed thereon. The light shielding state is exactly and rapidly attained by impressing the second voltage different from the first voltage between the electrodes.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electric field arranging particle (hereinafter, referred to as "electric field-aligned particle") contained in an EA fluid in a transmitted light amount control device using an electro-sensitive optical functional fluid composition (hereinafter referred to as "EA fluid"). EA particles) is redispersed from the array state.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a transmitted light amount control device of this type using an EA fluid, there are those described in Japanese Patent Application No. 6-193435 and Japanese Patent Application No. 6-193448, for example. It is described in Japanese Patent Application No. 6-192633.

A conventional transmitted light quantity control device of this type is constructed by filling an EA fluid containing EA particles in a transparent electrically insulating medium between a pair of transparent electrode plates facing each other. When no voltage is applied between the electrode plates, EA particles are suspended and irregularly dispersed in the EA fluid between the transparent electrode plates. It is blocked by the EA particles that are randomly dispersed in the EA fluid between the electrode plates and cannot penetrate. That is, in the transmitted light amount control device, in the state where no voltage is applied between the electrode plates, the attenuation with respect to the incident light amount is large, and the light cannot be sufficiently transmitted.

On the other hand, when a voltage is applied between the pair of transparent electrode plates, the EA particles in the EA fluid between the transparent electrode plates are vertically arranged and are spaced apart from each other to form a plurality of chain-like bodies. Since the EA particles do not exist in the gap between them and only the transparent electric insulating medium is present, the light radiated to the transparent electrode plate passes through the transparent electric insulating medium portion where the EA particles do not exist to form a pair. Can be transmitted between the electrode plates. That is,
When a voltage is applied between the electrode plates, the transmitted light amount control device has a small attenuation with respect to the incident light amount and can sufficiently transmit light.

[0005]

As described above, when a voltage is applied between the pair of transparent electrode plates, E between the transparent electrode plates is increased.
The EA particles in the A fluid are arranged vertically and are spaced apart from each other to form a plurality of chain-like bodies, which allows light to pass through between the chain-like bodies. Even if the applied voltage between the transparent electrode plates is removed or set to zero in order to bring it into the cutoff state, the EA particles arranged in a chain do not immediately break this arrangement and are in a state of being aligned as is. In order to release the state and return to the original light blocking state, conventionally, there was no method other than vibrating the transparent electrode plate or leaving it for a long time.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of redispersing electric field array particles that can appropriately redisperse EA particles that have been in a light transmitting array state by applying a voltage, and can appropriately bring them into a light blocking state. is there.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention according to claim 1 contains electric field array particles in a transparent electrically insulating medium between a pair of opposing transparent electrode plates. Filled with the electro-sensitive optical functional fluid composition,
A method of redispersing electric field array particles in a transmitted light amount control device for controlling the array of the electric field array particles by applying a voltage between the transparent electrode plates to control the amount of transmitted light that passes through the pair of transparent electrode plates. And applying a first voltage that causes an electric field array effect between the transparent electrode plates to increase the amount of transmitted light and applying a second voltage that causes an electrophoretic effect between the transparent electrode plates. The purpose of this is to reduce the amount of transmitted light.

That is, according to the first aspect of the present invention, when the first voltage is applied between the transparent electrode plates filled with the electro-sensitive optical functional fluid composition, the electro-sensitive optical functional fluid is applied. The electric field arranging particles in the composition are arranged by causing an electric field arranging effect, the amount of transmitted light between the transparent electrode plates increases, and when a second voltage is applied between the transparent electrode plates, the electric field arranging particles have an electrophoretic effect. Occurs and adheres to the transparent electrode plate to reduce the amount of transmitted light.

Further, the present invention according to claim 2 is based on claim 1.
In the invention described above, the gist is that the first voltage has a polarity opposite to that of the second voltage. That is,
According to the second aspect of the present invention, in order to reduce the amount of transmitted light by causing an electrophoretic effect in the electric field array particles,
A second voltage having a polarity opposite to that of the first voltage is applied between the transparent electrode plates.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a transmitted light amount control apparatus for carrying out a method for redispersing electric field array particles according to an embodiment of the present invention. The transmitted light amount control device shown in the figure comprises a light control device section 1 and an electric circuit section 3. The light control device unit 1 includes a pair of transparent electrode plates 5 facing each other.
EA fluid 9 is filled between the transparent electrode plates 5 and 7. This EA fluid 9 is a transparent electrically insulating medium 13 in which EA particles 11 are dispersed, and in the state shown in FIG. 1, the EA particles 11 are randomly dispersed in the electrically insulating medium 13, and The EA fluid 9 is in an opaque state that does not transmit light.

Further, the transparent electrode plates 5 and 7 are each 2
It is formed in a layered structure. That is, the first transparent electrode plate 5 is composed of the transparent glass layer 51 and the transparent electrode layer 53,
The transparent electrode layer 53 is arranged on the side in contact with the EA fluid 9. The second transparent electrode plate 7 is also composed of a transparent glass layer 71 and a transparent electrode layer 73, and the transparent electrode layer 73 is arranged on the side in contact with the EA fluid 9. Transparent electrode layers 53, 73
Is a transparent glass layer 51, such as an ITO film or tin oxide.
It is formed by vapor deposition on 71 respectively.

As described above, the seal members 27 and 29 are fixed to both sides of the transparent electrode plates 5 and 7 which are arranged to face each other with the EA fluid 9 interposed therebetween, whereby the transparent electrode plates 5 and 5 are fixed. The EA fluid 9 is enclosed between 7 and 7.

Further, the transparent electrode layers 53 and 73 constituting the transparent electrode plates 5 and 7, respectively, are connected to the electric circuit portion 3 via the first and second lead wires 15 and 17, respectively. Specifically, the transparent electrode layer 53 of the first transparent electrode plate 5
Is connected to the positive electrode side of the first power supply 19 and the negative electrode side of the second power supply 23 via the first lead wire 15, and the transparent electrode layer 73 of the second transparent electrode plate 7 is the second lead wire. It is connected to one end of the first switch 21 and the second switch 25 via 17, and the other end of the first switch 21 is connected to the first switch 21.
Is connected to the negative side of the power source 19, and the other end of the second switch 25 is connected to the positive side of the second power source 23. The first power supply 19 has a first voltage, for example, 1 to generate an EA effect on the EA particles 11, as described later.
The second power supply 23 generates a voltage of 0 volt and the second power supply 23 generates a second voltage, for example, a voltage of 100 volt, which causes an electrophoretic effect on the EA particles 11 as described later. Has a polarity opposite to that of the second voltage.

Next, the operation of the transmitted light amount control device configured as described above will be described.

First, as shown in FIG. 1, first and second
EA particles in the EA fluid 9 between the transparent electrode plates 5 and 7 when the switches 21 and 25 are off and no voltage is applied between the transparent electrode plates 5 and 7 of the light control device section 1. Since 11 is randomly dispersed in the electrically insulating medium 13 and floats, even if light is radiated from one outer side of the transparent electrode plates 5 and 7 toward the transparent electrode plates 5 and 7, this light is It is blocked by the dispersed and suspended EA fluid 9 and cannot pass through the light control device section 1. That is, the light control device unit 1 is in a light blocking state in which the attenuation with respect to the amount of incident light is large in a state where no voltage is applied.

In this state, as shown in FIG. 2, when the first switch 21 is turned on, the first voltage for the EA effect of the first power source 19, for example 10 volts, is applied to the transparent electrode plate. It is applied between 5 and 7. In this case, specifically, the positive electrode side of the first voltage of the first power source 19 is applied to the transparent electrode layer 53 of the first transparent electrode plate 5, and the transparent electrode layer 73 of the second transparent electrode plate 7 is applied. Is applied to the negative side of the first voltage.

When the first voltage is applied between the transparent electrode plates 5 and 7 as described above, the EA particles 11 are vertically arranged between the transparent electrode layers 53 and 73 by the EA effect by the electric field as shown in the figure, The chain-like bodies 31 are formed at intervals. As a result, the EA particles 11 do not exist in the gaps between the chain-like bodies 31 and only the transparent electrically insulating medium 13 remains. Therefore,
In this case, when light is radiated from one outer side of the transparent electrode plates 5 and 7 toward the transparent electrode plates 5 and 7, the light is emitted from the chain-like body 31.
The light control device unit 1 can be transmitted through the gap between the two. That is, in the state where the first voltage is applied, the light control device unit 1 has a small attenuation with respect to the amount of incident light and is in a light transmitting state.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3, when the first switch 21 is turned off and the second switch 25 is turned on,
A second voltage for the electrophoretic effect of the second power source 23, for example 100 V, is applied to the transparent electrode plates 5 and 7. In this case, specifically, the transparent electrode layer 53 of the first transparent electrode plate 5 is
Is applied to the negative side of the second voltage of the second power supply 23,
The positive electrode side of the second voltage is applied to the transparent electrode layer 73 of the second transparent electrode plate 7.

When the second voltage is applied between the transparent electrode plates 5 and 7 in this manner, the EA particles 11 are electrophoresed and adhere to one surface of the transparent electrode layers 53 and 73 as shown in the figure. Become. Therefore, in this case, even if light is radiated from one outer side of the transparent electrode plates 5 and 7 toward the transparent electrode plates 5 and 7, the light will be emitted from the EA particles 11 adhered to the transparent electrode layers 53 and 73.
The light control device unit 1 cannot be transmitted through the light control device unit 1. That is, in the state where the second voltage is applied, the light control device section 1 has a large attenuation with respect to the amount of incident light and is in a light blocking state.

As described above, after the first voltage for the EA effect is applied between the transparent electrode plates 5 and 7, the EA particles 11 are made into a chain body, and the light control device section 1 is brought into the light transmitting state. In order to put the light control device unit 1 into the light blocking state, by applying a second voltage for the electrophoretic effect different from the first voltage, the light control device unit 1 is properly and quickly transmitted light. The state can be changed to the light blocking state. That is, conventionally, in order to change the light control device unit 1 from the light transmitting state to the light blocking state,
Although the first voltage was turned off or zero, if the first voltage was turned off or zero in this way, the EA particles 11 would remain as a chain for a while, and the light control device The part 1 was not able to be in the light blocking state immediately, but by applying the second voltage different from the first voltage to the transparent electrode plates 5 and 7 as in the present embodiment, the part 1 can be properly and quickly. The light can be turned off.

By appropriately adjusting the magnitudes of the first voltage for the EA effect and the second voltage for the electrophoretic effect, the light transmission and blocking response characteristics and the light attenuation characteristics of the light control device section 1 can be improved. Can be adjusted. Further, the amount of light attenuation can be adjusted by the concentration of the EA particles 11.

[0023]

As described above, according to the present invention,
By applying a first voltage between the transparent electrode plates and applying a second voltage between the transparent electrode plates in a light transmission state in which electric field array particles are arranged in a chain by the electric field array effect, The electric field arranging particles can be attached to the transparent electrode plate by the electrophoretic effect, and the light transmission state can be appropriately and quickly switched to the light blocking state. In this case, the first voltage and the polarity are simply applied between the transparent electrode plates. Since it is only necessary to apply the second voltage different from the above, there is no need to change the electrode structure of the transmitted light amount control device, and there is an advantage that any electric field array particles may be used. Furthermore, by adjusting the applied voltage,
It is also possible to adjust the amount of light transmission attenuation and the response characteristics.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a transmitted light amount control device that implements a method for redispersing electric field array particles according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an operation of the transmitted light amount control device of FIG. 1, particularly an operation in a light transmitting state by an EA effect.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an operation of the transmitted light amount control device of FIG. 1, particularly an operation in a light blocking state due to an electrophoretic effect.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Light Control Device Section 3 Electric Circuit Section 5, 7 Transparent Electrode Plate 9 EA Fluid 11 EA Particle 13 Electrical Insulating Medium 19 First Power Supply 21 First Switch 23 Second Power Supply 25 Second Switch 31 Chain-Shaped Body

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An electrosensitive optical functional fluid composition containing electric field array particles in a transparent electrically insulating medium between a pair of opposed transparent electrode plates, and the space between the transparent electrode plates. A method of redispersing electric field arranging particles in a transmitted light amount control device for controlling an arrangement of the electric field arranging particles by applying a voltage to control an amount of transmitted light passing through the pair of transparent electrode plates, the method comprising: The amount of transmitted light is increased by applying a first voltage that produces an effect between the transparent electrode plates, and the amount of transmitted light is applied by applying a second voltage that produces an electrophoretic effect between the transparent electrode plates. A method for redispersing electric field-arranged particles, characterized in that 2. The method for redispersing electric field array particles according to claim 1, wherein the first voltage has a polarity opposite to that of the second voltage.